Cafecitos, Cubanos, & Coastlines: Your Guide to This Beloved Tropical Destination
Plus, the rise of long-term sabbaticals, useful budgeting tips, & the DHS disaster.
Welcome back to Departure, your weekly dose of inspiration around slow, quiet, and worthwhile travel.
As I’ve shared, this issue’s destination holds a very special place in my heart. I love the Miami area: It’s easy enough to reach from the east coast, it’s affordable to fly into, and there are plenty of beaches to pick from, for a dose of warm weather. It’s, in my mind, the perfect getaway; I once had a supervisor who’d fly down just from Fridays–Sundays for a winter retreat.
As promised, I’m sharing my full guide to the area as a repeat-visitor with additional input from several close friends who’ve lived there for years—Sascha and Javi, thank you for your incredible recommendations. If you have any other suggestions, please share them so this can be as comprehensive as possible (and because nothing brings me greater joy than this community weighing in with thoughtful tips).
How to Get There & Get Around:
Fly into MIA, often the easiest route—15–20 minutes from Miami and Miami Beach. I’d recommend renting a car over taking Lyfts everywhere. In our four days there, we racked up $400 in ride-share transactions, and we didn’t go very far. Book a car in advance, though, as rentals can sell out early.
Flying into FLL in Fort Lauderdale is an ideal choice if you’re open to staying outside of Miami and have already decided to rent a car. Some airlines like American, JetBlue, and Spirit prefer FLL over MIA so you’ll find more affordable or direct flights.
You can get around via public transit—my friends and I famously did this in 2013 on spring break—but it will take substantially more time. A good idea though, if you’re looking for an economical option and have a flexible itinerary.
Where to Stay:
For the quintessential Miami scene: Miami Beach and South Beach always top the list, especially if you’re looking for beaches and bars. Along Collins Avenue, you’ll find plenty of boutique hotels and restaurants, though this is definitely where I went in my 20s and not so much anymore. If you have the budget, I do recommend staying at either the W (a Marriott partner if you have points), or the 1 South Beach (a leading sustainable resort).
For a quieter, more removed neighborhood: After staying around Brickell, Wynwood, and Coral Gables, I’d recommend Coral Gables or Coconut Grove. It’s a bit outside of downtown, but it’s easy enough to grab a Lyft, and it’s such a lovely place to walk around. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables on points last year, and would recommend it as an affordable points redemption. (It’s also close by to my favorite bookstore, Books & Books, where we’ve spent hours hanging out.) If you enjoy being near the business district, Brickell is another option, nestled in between Miami Beach and Coral Gables/the airport.
For the quietest, most restorative stay: If you’re willing to drive, Jupiter—which is north of Fort Lauderdale—is a stunning place to spend your time. The beaches aren’t nearly as crowded, and you can experience some truly breathtaking nature between kayaking, watching turtles, or snorkeling. We personally stayed at an Airbnb, but there are hotels here worth checking out.
What to Do:
Beaches: You can’t really go wrong with beaches here, but like I said, I prefer Jupiter or West Palm Beach over Miami, due to sheer crowding and pricing. During our recent Miami Beach visit two weeks ago, renting two chairs and an umbrella set us back $75 (set pricing). Worth it for the amount of time we spent there, but if you bring your own supplies and/or you don’t mind the sand and direct sun, you can ignore this cost.
Sascha recommends getting onto the beach around the W entrance (there’s a public boardwalk), or on 30th behind the EDITION and renting chairs from them.
The public boardwalk means you can ride bikes all along the oceanfront, and in years past, we rented bikes from Miami Beach Bicycle Center. There are probably 10 different places you can rent from, all with strong ratings, and I find that it’s a calming way to experience the beach.
For other outdoor activities, there’s Biscayne National Park, renting a yacht or boat for the day, or trying water sports like parasailing. Being out of breath doesn’t embody quiet travel for me, but maybe it does for you. 😉
Art & Museums: The art scene in Miami is vibrant, ever-changing, and powerful. There is no shortage of art-related sights to see, so TL;DR: Make time to go.
Wynwood Walls is the best-known “art” spot—it’s a neighborhood filled with murals, graffiti, and photography. I recommend grabbing lunch or a coffee in the area, and walking around to check out the outdoor art as well as the local galleries. Sascha adores the Glottman Shop for stationary and gifts, BASE for men’s clothing, and the Sana Skin Studio for facials and skincare.
She also recommended the Pérez Art Museum Miami, which I’d never taken time to go see before, but it was 100% worth it. (Hot tip: The second Saturday of every month is free.) There are several floors of art that explore topics like immigration, colonialism, safety, grief, and family, and certain pieces brought me to tears. Erick and Elliot Jiménez’s exhibition in particular took our breath away.
Sascha also suggests checking out the Rubell Museum and the Wolfsonian-Florida International University museum, which she says, “has one of my favorite gift shops in South Beach!”
I’ve also heard good things about the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Paradox Museum, and the Margulies Collection.
Art Basel this year, for curious minds, will run December 2–6!
Walking/Food Tours: Because there are so many neighborhoods in Miami, I highly recommend a tour to understand the various cultures and communities.
For example, a Little Havana food tour will show you everything from Cuban cigars, to the best Cuban food you can find nearby, to the history of mojitos. The tour we took in 2019 is no longer available, but there are plenty of alternatives you can find online, or by stopping at the Little Havana Visitor Center.
The Miami Design Preservation League hosts private art deco walking tours, if you’re a fan of the style or want to know more about this iconic architecture.
The Wynwood Art Walk Tour offers multiple experiences to immerse yourself in the local art scene—golf cart tours, walks, and even graffiti painting experiences.
Technically not a walking or food tour, but there are also a number of sunset or sightseeing cruises that go around the local waterways. I tend to find these a bit kitschy, but I can see value in privately renting one to enjoy the day.
Where to Eat & Drink, by Neighborhood
Little Havana:
My favorite Mexican food is ironically in this area, but I do go out of my way to eat there so I’ll recommend it wholeheartedly: Taqueria Viva Mexico. Mi Ronconcito Mexicano is another establishment frequented by locals for a no-frills experience, though I prefer Taqueria.
Ball & Chain is probably the most historic of spaces here, where Billie Holiday and Nat King Cole used to play and it’s a fun space to eat, drink, and dance (salsa!). Old’s, Hoy Como Ayer, and Sala’o are best-known for Cuban food, though Javi says Rey de Las Fritas has a stellar Cuban hamburger and batido (shake)—he says to get the Mamey or Guanabana (soursop) flavor.
Sascha has three specific recommendations from classic staples: Grabbing a cafecito at El Pub, croquetas at Versailles, and drinks at Cafe La Trova.
Miami Beach:
I’m going to be honest that I don’t often spend much time here anymore, but the girlies tell me Macchalina and Lucali (from New York City) are winners.
I like getting sandwiches here though when I’m on the beach and you can’t go wrong with La Sandwicherie, Sanguich, or Ocean Deli Market. Sascha also recs Sweet Liberty for afternoon snacks, and Kith for sweet treats.
If you’re looking for an adult bar/club vibe, Mac’s Club Deuce (cash only, Anthony Bourdain’s favorite place), the pool-side tiki bar at Broken Shaker, LIV, or Sola are worth checking out. Javi also says if you want to feel like you’re in a Belgian pub, Abbey Brewing Company is the way to go.
Coral Gables & Coconut Grove:
We’ve gone for a fancy date night at Zucca in Coral Gables, which was delicious, and it’s worth walking around the downtown after. Motek, Bulla, and CRAFT are also highly rated here.
In Coconut Grove, we dined at the upscale Krüs Kitchen, part of Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $150 dining credits), and it was absolutely worth every penny.
There are also very highly rated coffee shops peppered all around the neighborhood, so you can’t go wrong. I’d personally grab lunch at Books & Books in their courtyard and peruse a few books—the epitome of slow travel for me, personally.
MIAM has the best pancakes I’ve ever had for brunch; Chugs has “insane breakfasts” worth trying in Coconut Grove; Facade Bakery has a cornflake matcha latte Sascha swears by.
Wynwood:
Sascha frequents Wynwood more than we do, so her ideas include dining at the Taco Stand, Otto & Pepe for Italian, PARI PARI for handrolls (think “sexy date night”), or Arepera Tico Tico Edgewater. On the edge of Wynwood near downtown, Javi likes Lagniappe, inspired by New Orleans, where they have live music every night.
For dessert or matcha, she heads to Dasher & Crank, though there are a surprising amount of ice cream shops nearby that might be worth checking out, too.
Sascha says the “real locals” of Wynwood go to Dante’s HiFi, a vinyl listening bar, or the nearby Medium Cool in downtown which plays live jazz. Two of my favorite analog experiences.
What I love most about South Florida is that it can offer whatever you need. An energetic party scene for a bachelorette? A place to soak in the sun in peace and quiet? A way to connect with nature? It’s the rare place that truly “has it all.”
🤑 How a 20-something budgets for her vacations, and tips on where to save. Skipping new vacation clothes and budgeting for expenses outside of your control are two tricks I personally use. (h/t Get Lost with Lonely Planet)
🦅 Talk about a niche deep dive: This photojournalism feature on the eagle hunters in Kyrgyzstan, and their long-standing traditions. To be clear, they hunt with eagles, they don’t hunt them. (Atavist)
😬 It’s been a real sh*tstorm between the East Coast blizzard—which cancelled my own plans—and the DHS flip-flopping decisions around TSA PreCheck. Like I said, I’d earmark extra time at the airport if you’re planning to fly any time soon. (CNBC)
❤️ The solid case for becoming a regular, frequenting your third spaces, and building community wherever you live (and travel, in the case of my nine visits to Miami, ha). (Self)
😴 More adults are taking extended career breaks than ever before. Whether it’s dubbed a “gap year” or “sabbatical” or “micro-retirement”, taking time for ourselves outside of work is increasingly trending. Big fan. (AP)
Here in Atlanta, I’ve been noticing the cherry blossom trees budding in the last week—the sorely needed reminder that spring is coming. Stay safe and warm wherever you are and remember: We’re almost there. —Henah x
Impressive guide! As a Cuban-American, my goal is to have a croqueta at Versailles someday. <3